Western practices,as well as
traditional ethnic beliefs greatly influenced the Filipiono way of life.While
the new era brought in a modern lifesyle that was readily embraced by the
people,a number of customs and traditions are atill being practised as in the
past.

"Filipinos
greatly value family ties"(inhirited
from the Chinese)

No other trait of the Filipino is
more known the world over than his being a hospitable host.A foreigner new to
the Philippines is usually treated to genuine hospitality in many ways-an
invitation to dinner or night entertainment can go as far as an invitation to
spend a night in the house of the Filipino host.It is not uncommon for a guest
to be accommodated in the best room of the house.

Dont feel ill at ease if your
host appears to have gone out of his way to make you feel
comfortable.Hospitality is deeply entrenched among the Filipinos,hence it is
only natural for host to welcome a total stranger to his house.

Filipinos greatly value family
ties,a trait inherited from the Chinese,who began to settle in the philippines
centuries ago.Family members help one another and this attachment is usually
seen in several occasions-the birth of a family member,marriage or death.It is
also reflected in cases where a family member approaches an uncle or cousin for
employment or other favor.It is for this reason that nepotism is rampant in
Filipino-owned companies.as the case of utang
na loob(of being beholden)is as strong as not losing face is to a
Chinese.

Another trait that has lingered
on is respect to elders.Ar an early age,Filipinos are tauught to respect their
elders and obey their will. It is common practice,especially in the province,to
kiss the hand or forehead of ones grandparents or older relatives,as a sign of
greeting and respect.Elders are key in the family,and their advice usually
followed.Children are taught to attach"po"
or"Opo"to whatever they
say especially when speaking with older people.

Filipinos value personal
relations.Known as pakikisama,personal
relations often influence business and other key decisions.The word implies
consideration,fairness,and camaraderie.A person can go to considerable extend
just to prove he has pakikisama and
is a worthly part of group.(Pakikisama or Comradeship).

The Spirit of
Bayanihan

Bayanihanor the spirit
of helping one another is said to have been inherited by the Filipinos from
their Malay forefathers.In the rural areas,bayanihan is reflected in many
ways.During the planting and harvest seasons,all members of the family and
neighbors help out without expecting payment in return.Helping one another is
also carried out in such activities as when having a party where
neighbors,friends and relatines help in cleaning and decorating the
house,cooking,setting the table and entertaining the guests.

The same spirit of bayanihan is
manifested not only in celabrations,but also in times of sickness and death.When
a member of the family dies,friends and relatines help the bereaved family in
one way or another.from preparing the food to the giving of finacial aid or
contribution called ambag to help
defry burial expenses.The wake is common practice,with neighbors and friends
keeping vigil with the family of the deceased.In this country of paradox,
however,it is not uncommon to see mass for the dead celebrate inside the
house,while mah jong and gambling
tables become beehives of activities on the front lawn or spiling into the
street.After the burial,friends and relatives pray for the soul of the departed
for nine consecutive evenings.On the ninth day of the prayers, food and drinks
are served to the guests.

There are also traditions
connected with birt and baptism.Practices to make child delivery easier vary
from one province to another .A popular provincial practice is for the father to
build a fire under the house to drive away the evil spirit that might get the
newborn.

During baptism,it is a common
practice for the godfather tor godmother to give Pakimkim,which may be in the
form of cash or gift,to the baby.There is a belief thet without a pakimkim,the
baby will not be sucessful when he grows up.Where several children are being
baptized at the same time,the parents usually rush to leave the church ahead of
the others in the belief thet the child will became more sucessful than the rest.

"A
land of warm ,friendly & sure inquisitive kids"
(he!He!he!)

Of Courtship and
Marriage

Courtship,the
Filipino ways,is probably among the most romantic in the wold.the girl is
usually showered with much attention and this attention often extends to the
girls whole family.This show of affection to the girls relatives is respected
until today because as the saying goes,when you marry a Filipino or Filipina,you
also marry into his or her family.Family ties are a strong force in the country.

"Harana"

In some rural areas(although this
is fast becoming a vanishing custom),the practice involves a night serenade
called Harana where the boy
serenades the girl he is courting with love songs.the young man also serves the
girls family by performing daily choer such as chopping wood,mending the
fence,etc.These actions originated in the past when boys were too shy to court
the girls directly and parents arranged the marriages of their
children.Engagement and marriage are two events where the provinces in the
Philippines differ in their rituals and practices.a bride is not supposed to try
her wedding gown before the wedding as this could bring bad luck.

It customary for the groom to
shoulder the entire wedding expenses including the bridal gown.while this may no
longer be practice in the cities where the engaged couple divides the
expences,the tradition is still alive in the rural areas.In Quezon province,the
grooms relative bring the wedding dress to the brides house on the eve of the
wedding.In certain parts of Camarines Sur,the bride stays with her godmother the
night before the wedding,as the godmother is usually assigned to dress up the
bride.At the wedding ceremony,if one of the lighted candles goes out,the belief
is either the bride or groom will die soon so great care is taken to make sure
the candles remain lit.After the wedding ceremony,whoever stands up first will
rule the household.Tice is usually thrown at a newly married couple when they
step outside the church,since rice symbolizes prosperity.Modern couples however
have substituted the rice grains for paper bits or small sampaguita buds,the
national flower.Lately,some more shrewd newly weds have also tried to revive the
provincial custom of having sponsors and relatives pin money to their wedding
clothes as they dance at the reception.

Filipinos are religious and
superstitious people.Long years of Spanish colonization led to the existence of
some beliefs even up to the present.and these are clearly reflected in the way
they celebrate.

One of the
World’sLongest Christmas

Philippines
Christmass tree & X'mass Lantern

Celebration of the Christmas
season un the Philippines is one of the longest in the world-it start from
December 16 and end on the first Sunday of January the following year.dec-16
marks the start of the nine-day simbang gabi or misa de gallo,which are held at
around four O’clock in the morning.After the mass,the people usually have
breakfast consisting of local delicacies at stalls set up in the
churchyard.Favorites are ricecake like bibingka
and puto bumbong,washed by salabat or hot ginger tea.

On Christmas eve,a midnight mass
is held,and followed by the traditional noche
buena or midnight supper.The dining table during this season is usually
filled with local dishes as well as fruits.On Christmas day,children visit their
godparents and relatives to pay respects to them.The children are then given
money and gifts,known as aguinaldo.Family
reunion is usually held on Christmas day and usually held in the home of the
oldest member of the family where members of the family exchange gifts.

Various customs are observed to
celebrate the coming of the New Year.On New Years Eve,people make noise by
lighting firecrackers and noise increase as it reaches midnight.Filipinos make
it a point to serve good foods on their dining tables and pay all their debts on
the first day of the year in the belief that there will be abundance the rest of
the year.The more chinese-oriented succumb to placing eight or 12 round food
stuff on the dining table,each to signify good health,wealth and luck in the
year to come.

Holy week

There are also traditions
connected with the observance of the holy week,especially in the Catholic sector
of the Philippine society.The pabasa
or the chanting of the life of Christ is held in private homes during the Holy
Week.

Refreshments are served to the
readers of the pabasa and on the last day,a feast is prepared for all guest.On
Maundy Thursday,devotees hold the visita Iglesia where they try to visit as many
churches as they can.On good Friday(Karfreitag),some
people punish themselves by flogging themselves on the back,while others wear
crowns of thorns or carry crosses as a form of sacrifice.A few even go as far as
getting crucified on a wooden cross for a few minutes.Other highligt of Good
Friday is the sunset prucicion,a
solemn procession where people walk the towns main thoroughfare with lighted
candles as the churchs best antique carosas
and Santos,holy images depicting the various stages of Christ passion
play,are paraded.

One popular custom held among the people
is the holding of the town fiesta.This is usually held in honor of the patron
saint of the town.During the fiesta season,the churches are decorated and
processions are held.All house holds prepare good food,as there usually are
guests.Filipinos in the provinces usually splurge during town fiesta.